Module rationale

This module introduces students to the national art galleries in London, with a dual focus on the cultural history of these sites and the art history of their collections. Approaching the public art gallery as a historically specific phenomenon, we will trace the emergence and evolution of these institutions from the late-18th to the early-21st century and analyse their objectives, policies and artworks with reference to the political events, socio-economic conditions and cultural debates that shaped them over 250 years. By placing the development of public art collections into their historical context, the module utilises these resources for the teaching of British cultural history. Beyond this, it seeks to develop students ' knowledge of the institutional frameworks within which art has been historically produced, disseminated and consumed. A further aim is to broaden students ' understanding of the public functions of art, such as the construction of national and civic identities and the propagation of political ideas and regimes. The module has been designed specifically for Study Abroad student